Will Pharaoh’s heart remain hardened when facing his former team in Frankfurt, Germany this weekend?
Should New England Patriots tight end Pharaoh Brown maintain his opinion regarding the Indianapolis Colts — not only the Pats Week 10 opponent, but also the team which released him during roster cuts in August — a bit of revenge may be on the Sunday morning ‘speisekarte’ at Frankfurt Stadium.
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” Brown told a contingent of Patriots reporters in late September. “We play the Indianapolis Colts, so I can’t wait for that one.”
Since being signed to the Pats 53-man roster, Brown has been one of the top situational big-play threats in the NFL. Through nine games players, the 29-year-old has caught all seven of his targets for 171 yards and one touchdown, while averaging 24.3 yards-per-reception. Accordingly, he has been awarded as one of the highest-graded tight end in the NFL, with a 92.8 grade from Pro Football Focus.
When deployed as a pass catcher, Brown has been one of the Pats lone bright spots on offense. He caught two passes for 51 yards — a 25-yard strike from quarterback Mac Jones in the Pats' opening series on offense, and another 26-yard seam gain to begin a touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter of New England’s Week 7 win over the Buffalo Bills.
The Patriots' Week 7 win was not the first time Brown found himself in the New England spotlight. During the Pats Week 4 victory over the New York Jets, the Oregon product demonstrated the talents for which Belichick praised him to complete a 58-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown. It was New England's longest scoring reception of the season, as well as Brown's individual tenure as a pro. He also set his new career-high for receiving yards in a single game with 71.
While his performance is pleasingly catching the eye of Patriots Nation, it also earned him the praise of head coach Bill Belichick.
“Pharaoh’s a big target," Belichick said of the 6-6, 258-pound tight end. "He’s got good hands. He’s done a really good job of running with the ball, securing the ball and picking up positive yardage after the catch. So, he’s been consistent doing that and it’s been a big help.”
With the Colts defense expected to use its front seven to pressure Jones, Brown may be an effective weapon against coordinator Gus Bradley’s customary zone schemes. In the process, he may be playing with a bit of extra motivation to show his former Indy teammates and coaches his capabilities when properly utilized in the Pats offense.
In doing so, he may make a greater case towards being on of New England’s offensive "general of generals" on an international stage.
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